Clayart China on thu 20 apr 00
CLAYART CHINA, April. 2000, Vol. 9. Catalog and book.
"CLAYART CHINA" is a newsletter emailed monthly to professional ceramic
artists who want to know about ceramic art in China and things related. This
newsletter will be a bridge between China and Western countries for the
ceramic arts. Comments and suggestions are very welcome.
Editor Guangzhen "Po" Zhou
P.O. Box 64392, Sunnyvale, CA 94088, U.S.A.
Tel. 408-245-6271, Fax. 408-245-8756, Email: pozhou@email.msn.com
http://www.chineseclayart.com,
http://www.silverhawk.com/crafts/zhou/welcome.html
FEATURES
Brief introduction to Chinese art history and
Chinese contemporary ceramic art
---by Guangzhen Po Zhou
( part 1 )
Along the Yellow River and Yangzi River reaches, Chinese hand made pottery
about 7,000 - 8,000 years or early has been unearthed. China was called "the
Home of Porcelain". There are many traditional ceramic production areas (or
called kiln sites) developed from dynasties one after another. But, Chinese
contemporary ceramic art is still not as popular as that of developed
countries.
Chinese Art Education
Back to 19 century, there was no such thing, so called art degree . In
Chinese tradition, calligraphy is considered as a part of art and a symbol
of education. Many Chinese started to practice calligraphy at childhood. To
be a real scholar, the person has to be good at four things: Chinese harp
(music), chess, calligraphy and brush painting; To be a real art master, the
person has to be good at another four things: poem (literature),
calligraphy, brush painting and seal carving.
Since early 20 Century, Chinese people have been greatly influenced by many
aspects of Western culture. Prior to the World War II, many Chinese artists
studied in Europe. They studied all aspects of academy of European fine
arts, their drawing, painting and sculptural techniques and concepts, and
the use of light, shadow and color, as well as critical, theory and
attitudes about art in general. Some western kind of public art schools have
been established in China at that time.
Socialist Realism Dominated 50 s - 70 s
During the 1950 s to 1970 s, addition to the Europe art tradition, the
westernized art styles of the former Solvate Union became the arts education
standard in the most of Chinese academies, and the Socialist-Realism
dominated Chinese fine art field for thirty years.
In the Socialist Realism paintings, the themes always about working class,
peasants, soldiers, or revolutionary leaders. depict the aspects of
historical events, victory of war, etc. "Red, brightly, and shinning" the
three elements were the typical Socialist Realism characters. The
revolutionary heroes have to be in the center of the paintings, and larger,
taller than other people. the strong figure with large eyes looking up
towards the sky, showing the power of the revolutionary people, and to
admire the revolutionary people and the revolutionary leaders.
"In the world today, all culture, all literature and art belong to definite
classes and are geared to definite political lines. There is in fact no such
thing as art for art's sake, art that stands above classes, art that is
detached from or independent of politics. Proletarian literature and art are
part of the whole proletarian revolutionary cause; they are, as Lenin said,
cogs and wheels in the whole revolutionary machine."
Mao Zedong "Talks at the Yenan Forum on Literature and Art" (May 1942).
Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong
The Rent Collection Courtyard might be the typical example of Chinese
Socialist Realism in the sculptural field. This exhibition of life-size clay
figures takes its setting from the former rent collection courtyard of Liu
Wen-Cai, a landlord despot of Si Chun Province. More than hundred sculptures
portraying the story of rent collection are the work of a group of
revolutionary Chinese artists (No individual name can be mentioned at the
Cultural Revolution).
PROFILE
* Female Clay Artist Wen-Zhi Zhang and Nan-Feng Gu Zao (South Wind Ancient
Oven). Born in 1959, She graduated from Guangdong Arts & Crafts College
1980, received her Master of Arts degree from Guangzhou Fine Art Academy,
Guangdong province 1993. She have participated many group exhibitions and
have had solo shows, such as Illinois State University 1996 and the National
Art Museum, Beijing 1998. She also received many awards and featured on a
lot of Chinese newspaper and magazines. She is one of the first Chinese
Delegation of Ceramic Artists, has participated NCECA conference in Columbus
Ohio 1999. Wen-Zhi Zhang is the most active female clay artists in China and
have organized some ceramic art events in Foshan that included Foshan
Millennium Wood-firing and First Foshan International Ceramic Wood-Firing
Conference.
NEW BOOK
China Contemporary Ceramics, Compiled by Lu PinChang, vice director and
associate professor of the Central Academy of Fine Art, Beijing China, the
book was published by Jilin Fine Art Publishing House, PR. China with over a
hundred Chinese clay artists' works, total 251 full color plates. All text
of the book printed in both Chinese and English. This book will be available
in the United State soon.
EXHIBITIONS
San Francisco Bay Area Chinese American Children's Clay Art Competition
April 22-28, 2000. Opening reception: Saturday, 2-5 pm, April 22. Address:
1253 Kentwood Ave. San Jose, CA 95129. Tel: 408-343-3919, Email:
claygroundstudio@hotmail.com. To promote children's clay art and San
Francisco Bay Area multi-cultural community, the Clayground and the Chinese
Ceramic Art Council, USA are co-sponsored the exhibition. The Clayground is
a clay art school and studio, that offer classes for both children and
adults.
BOOK STORE
The Chinese Contemporary Ceramic Art Exhibition, Denver 2000. $10.00
Publish: Ceramic Art Magazine, Taiwan. 2000
A full color catalog of the exhibition, in both English and Chinese, 10" x
10" inches, 31 pages, including total 41 pictures of ceramic work both
vessel forms and sculptures done by a group of Chinese ceramic artists from
mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the US.
American Ceramic Artists Today. by Guangzhen "Po" Zhou $18.00
Publish: The People's Fine Art Publishing House, Beijing, P. R. China, 1998.
A Chinese edition book included total fifty most famous American artists
with 100 full colored plates and approximately 80,000 Chinese characters.
The prefaces were written by Elaine Levin and Professor Stan Welsh. Check
out fifty artists name list at www.silverhawk.com/craft/zhou.
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Book Order Form
Name ____________________________ Organization _____________________
Address _____________________________________________________________
Tel. (office) _____________________Tel. (home) _______________________
Fax. ____________________________ E-mail: ___________________________
The Chinese Contemporary Ceramic Art Exhibition, Denver 2000 $10.00 x
copies ____
American Ceramic Artists Today $18.00 x copies ____
Total before tax = $ ______________
Tax 8.25% (California residents only) = $ ______________
Shipping and handling fee = $ ______________
(North America, $3 for 1st book / $1 for each additional book;
International, $5 for 1st book, / $ 2 for each additional book).
Total Amount = $ ______________
Please make check or money order payable to The Chinese Ceramic Art Council,
USA
And send the order form to: The Chinese Ceramic Art Council, USA
P. O. Box 64392, Sunnyvale, CA94088-4392, U. S. A.
We do not have E-Commerce yet, sorry for the inconvenience.
______________________________________________________________________
Please allow for 2-3 weeks domestic, and 4-6 weeks international delivery.
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